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Resist Liquefied Natural Gas terminals being built in Ireland

Plans are underway to build LNG (liquefied natural gas) regasification terminals in Cork harbour and in Ballylongford, Co. Kerry. The Minister for Climate Action is embarking on a policy of making Ireland the gateway for fracked gas from around the world to be pumped throughout Europe. In this he has the support of the European Commission which, through its Projects of Common Interests, seeks to increase Europe’s dependence on gas at the very time when it should be turning to renewable energy. This is a major step backwards. If we are to make the transition to renewables we need to say no to the continued extraction of fossil fuels, both in Ireland and around the world.

What is LNG?

To transform gas from a gaseous state into liquid state, it must go through a cryogenic process at approximately -160˚C during which its volume is reduced more than 600-fold. LNG can be used for power generation, residential and industrial uses, gas storage for peak demand and as a fuel source for heavy maritime transport (including LNG carriers themselves), and road and rail transport.

The LNG supply chain is made up of the following stages (API 2015): gas treatment, gas liquefaction, LNG transport, storage and regasification.

Is LNG ‘natural’?

Referring to a gas that is primarily methane as “natural” can lead to misunderstandings. The name comes from its extraction from the natural environment, unlike gas manufactured from coal or oil, which is known as “town gas”. However, the gas industry has linked the term “natural” with a green, low emissions future, and so many critics prefer the term “fossil gas”, since this best describes the source of the fuel and its climate impacts (Perez 2017).

Where is LNG imported from?

Gas fracked or otherwise extracted in the US is often piped directly through urban areas, close to homes and schools. It is invariably the poorer, less-enfranchised communities that have these pipelines on their doorsteps. The major fear is of a gas leak or explosion from pipes that are often several decades old. On a day to day level, the gas pipelines have led to water pollution and a stark devaluation of house prices in the areas.

We oppose new fossil fuel infrastructure on three main grounds:

The climate impact: In order to keep the rise in global temperatures to the critical 2 degree limit, all undiscovered oil and gas must remain in the ground. Ireland has a duty, along with the rest of the world, to protect all our futures and move away from fossil fuel energy.

The impact on local environment: Fossil fuel infrastructure poses huge threats to people and wildlife that live nearby. LNG is highly flammable and has led to disastrous explosions in Europe and the Americas. Much of the gas that will be treated in proposed LNG plants will come from fracking in other countries, a practice which Ireland has banned due to the dangers it poses to human and animal life. It is the height of hypocrisy to benefit from fracking which is destroying communities elsewhere. Seismic blasting, oil spills and other perils associated with drilling for oil and gas have been proven to significantly harm marine life, from tiny plankton to whales and dolphins.

Threat to local industries: LNG plants threaten the fishing and tourism industries, which are crucial to coastal areas. Increased large-scale shipping traffic, seismic blasting, increased noise levels and water pollution will damage fish stocks and destroy the natural beauty of the Irish coasts which attracts millions of visitors each year.

How can you get involved?

Not Here, Not Anywhere is a national campaign group, founded in Dublin in July 2017. The campaign is calling for a ban on all new fossil fuel infrastructure projects in Ireland, specifically offshore drilling for oil and gas and the building of terminals for the regasification of liquefied natural gas. As an alternative to fossil fuel energy, we advocate focusing on the transition to a renewable-energy society, which will provide clean, affordable energy; long-term, well-paid jobs; cleaner air and energy security.

Keep up to date with the latest from the campaign on Facebook (facebook.com/notherenotanywhereIRL/) and Twitter (@NHNAireland).

Attend the actions and events: from creative actions to the Forty Foot to film screenings, they try to come up with fun and imaginative ways to spread the world and get people involved. They would love to see you at our next one - keep an eye on social media for all the details!